Lithuania to protect interests of its citizens during the BREXIT transition

Lithuania will defend the interests of its people in Brexit negotiations

Brussels – President Dalia Grybauskaitė, who is attending the European Council meeting in Brussels, had a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The meeting focused on preparations for the start of Brexit negotiations, issues of related concern to the Lithuanian people as well as future prospects for bilateral cooperation in security and economy.Dalia Grybauskaitė underlined that Lithuania would not abandon its citizens and would act firmly to protect their interests in Brexit negotiations.

The most important thing is to ensure fundamental freedoms and guarantees: the free movement of persons, the right to work and health care, social guarantees, and a possibility to study and work in the UK. Presently, some 200 thousand Lithuanian citizens live and work in Britain.

The President pointed out that there had been cases of discrimination and harassment against foreign nationals, including Lithuanians, and requested Prime Minister Theresa May to take all possible actions to guarantee the security of all people in the United Kingdom.

As the two leaders discussed preparations for Brexit, the President stressed that Lithuania supported a unified EU position and that negotiations should not begin without official notification from the United Kingdom.

According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, Britain is a very important economic and security partner of Lithuania. It ranks seventh as Lithuania’s export market. We share the same approach to a number of key foreign policy issues.

It is therefore necessary to develop a model of cooperation between the European Union and the United Kingdom which would meet the interests of EU and British nationals.

According to the President, the United Kingdom will continue to play an important and active role in maintaining the security of the Baltic states. The U.K. will lead an international NATO battalion in Estonia. British troops and navy took part in a number of military exercises in the region.